Bar-type door opener



March 13, 1962 D. c. CHRISTENSEN 3,025,095

BAR-TYPE DOOR OPENER Filed April 25, 1960 INVENTOR. Dom/:40 6 012/: 7-/vsz7v Y Fae? OIPNE Patented Mar. is, 1%.:

3,025,095 BAR-TYPE DOUR ()PENER Donald C. Christensen, 307 E. 6th St., Aibert Lea, Minn. Filed Apr. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 24,284 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-3365) This invention relates in general to closure operators and in particular to an auxiliary door latch opener.

Often a housewife has to open a storm door while carrying a basket of clothing or other items. This generally requires that the clothes basket be placed on the floor so that the door latch can be turned and the door opened.

The present invention provides an attachment for a door latch which can be actuated very easily by only touching it.

An object of this invention is to provide a touch bar for a door so that the door may be easily and quickly opened.

Another object of this invention is to provide a door opener for all latchtype screen and storm doors.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision for a bar that may be connected to a door latch so that the door may be unlatched by merely touching the bar.

Further features, objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and claims when read in view of the drawings, in which;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention connected to a first type of latch and,

FIGURE 2 illustrates the invention connected to a second type of latch.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a door 10 which is pivotally connected to a jamb 11 and has a latch 12 that engages a catch 13 mounted on the jamb 14. The latch 12 is of the type which pivots about a vertical axis to allow the latch to clear the catch 13 and allow the door to be opened.

The apparatus of this invention comprises a touch bar which has a hollow tube 16 which is mounted in flexible material 17 that might be rubber, for example. A screw 18 passes through material 17 to attach it to the door 10.

A shaft 19 is slidably received in the other end 21 of tube 16. A flexible member 22 fits over the end of shaft 19 and also has an opening into which the latch 12 is placed. An indentation 23 is formed in member 22 to allow it to flex more easily. Member 22 may be made of rubber, for example.

To mount the touch bar unit, the member 17 is attached to the door by screw 18. The shaft 19 is then inserted into the end 21 of tube 16 and flexible member 22 is forced over the end of shaft 19 and the latch 12. Since member 22 is formed with a central opening the end of shaft 19 and the end of latch 12 are nearly in engagement within member 22. To use with a latch as shown in FIGURE 1 the indentation 23 is placed away from the door. As the touch bar is pushed inwardly toward the door, the member 22 will bend and the latch will be disconnected from catch 13. Shaft 19 will move slightly relative to tube 16 as the touch bar is pushed.

The dotted position in FIGURE 1 illustrates the position for opening the door. The touch bar may be pushed any where along its length to open the latch.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the touch bar attached to a latch which pivots about a horizontal axis rather than a vertical axis.

All parts of the door 10, the jambs 11 and 14, tube 16, shaft 19 and members 17 and 22 are the same as shown in FIGURE 1 except the latch 26 pivots about a horizontal axis to disengage the catch 13.

For this type of latch, the member 22 is rotated so that the indentation 23 faces upwardly. To open the door the touch bar is pushed downwardly at any place along its length and the member 22 will flex to the po sition shown in dotted line to open the latch.

In both embodiments the flexible material 17 allows the tube 16 to move relative to the door.

It is seen that this invention provides a simple touch bar that may be attached to a door to allow it to be opened simply and easily.

Although it has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is not to be so limited as changes may be made which are within the full intended scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A touch bar for releasing the latch of a door comprising, a flexible member comprising, an elongated resilient body receivable over the latch of the door, a shaft receivable in the flexible member and the ends of the latch and shaft spaced so that the body is capable of flexing and the opposite end of the shaft pivotally connected to the edge of the door away from the latch.

2. A touch bar for releasing the latch of a door comprising, a flexible member comprising an elongated resilient body formed with a central opening and the latch receivable in one end thereof, a shaft with one end receivable in the opposite end of the flexible member and the ends of the latch and the shaft spaced so that the body is capable of flexing, a tube which receives the other end of the shaft therein, and the opposite end of the tube pivotally attached to the door on the edge away from the latch.

3. In apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said flexible member is formed with an indentation to allow it to bend easily.

4. In apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the tube is pivotally attached to the door by means of a second flexible member into which the tube extends, and holding means attaching the second flexible member to the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,771 McGovern Mar. 29, 1892 1,019,662 Kroder Mar. 5, 1912 2,087,165 Ruth July 13, 1937 2,784,021 Guckenberger Mar. 5, 1957 2,871,050 Dickinson Jan. 27, 1959 2,945,372 Reed July 19, 1960 

